The Carbonell Awards Welcomes Three New Members to Board of Directors

The Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theatre & Arts Honors, today announced three new members to the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors: Debbie Calabria, Dale Edwards, and Zaylin Yates.

Debbie Calabria

Representing the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

As Marketing & Cultural Events Manager for the Cultural Council, Debbie Calabria oversees all the organization’s major special events, including the annual Muse Awards, exhibition openings, fundraising parties, and the popular Cultural & Cocktails series that concluded last year after 20 seasons. A resident of Palm Beach Gardens, she is active in numerous local nonprofit organizations including Leadership Palm Beach County, The ARC, the Northern Palm Beach Cultural Collaborative, and the Jupiter Light House.

Dale Edwards

Representing the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

As Vice President of Marketing for the Arsht Center since 2021, Dale Edwards is responsible for marketing and sales efforts for all presentations, including Broadway, dance, theater and music, as well as overseeing institutional branding and various educational and community engagement initiatives. He previously worked with Houston Grand Opera and such NYC-based cultural institutions as Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Disney Theatrical Productions, Manhattan Theatre Club, and The Metropolitan Opera.

Zaylin Yates

Representing the Broward County Cultural Division

As the Founding Manager Director of Brévo Theatre in Pompano Beach, Zaylin Yates is dedicated to amplifying the voices of young Black artists and showcasing underrepresented talent across theatre, dance, and performance. Through inclusive, boundary-pushing storytelling and color-conscious casting, he champions new works that give rise to diverse perspectives and cultural dialogue. Yates also serves as a Manager of Community Engagement at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami.

‘With our historic 50^th annual ceremony coming in 2027, the Carbonell Awards is excited about the deep commitment to theatrical excellence and cultural diversity that our three new members are bringing to the Board,” said Gary Schweikhart, president of the Carbonell Board of Directors.

The organization’s goal this year is to systematically expand the Board of Directors to 15 members—five from each county, including two permanent seats: the county’s umbrella cultural organization and the largest performing arts center:

• Broward: Broward County Cultural Division and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts

• Miami-Dade: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

• Palm Beach: The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

In addition to the three new members, the current Carbonell Board of Directors includes:

• Broward: Terry Colli retired diplomat (Secretary), attorney Don Walters (Treasurer), and two open seats

• Miami-Dade: Javier Siut (Vice President, representing the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs); Ricardo Gonzalez III (representing the Carbonell family); and two open seats.

• Palm Beach: Gary Schweikhart (President); retired cultural executive William Nix; Bernie Pino, representing the Kravis Center; award-winning entertainer Avery Sommers; and film festival artistic director Ellen Wedner.

‘We still have several open seats and hope to strengthen and diversify our working Board by adding more theater-loving professionals such as a lawyer, accountant, fundraiser, and website specialist. If anyone is interested, he/she/they should contact me directly at gary@pr-bs.net,” added Schweikhart.

The 49^th annual Carbonell Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 16, 2026, at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton, at which honors will be presented in 20 competitive categories, along with up to seven Special Awards including the prestigious George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts and the new Christine Dolen Award for Outstanding Debut. 

Hundreds of actors, musicians, performers, writers, directors, back-stage technicians, producers, reviewers, designers, specialty artists, and diehard theater fans are expected to attend this year’s Carbonell Awards, a glittery, entertainment-packed event that is South Florida’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards®.

The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the diversity of our theater artists, providing educational scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. More than 20 professional theater companies in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties participate in the awards process every year. The Carbonell Awards also celebrate the accomplishments of local artistic leaders by presenting several Special Awards.

Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards and predate others, including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards are named after Manuel Carbonell, an internationally renowned sculptor, who designed the original solid bronze and marble award in 1976, the signature trophy that is given annually to Carbonell Award winners. Over nearly 50 years, the Carbonell family has donated more than $250,000 in awards. For more information, please visit www.carbonellawards.org.